Raptors bring in big man that loves grabbing loose balls

Reggie Evans, disappointed after failing to grab a ball

A little less than two years ago, Bryan Colangelo brought in three-point specialist Jason Kapono on a four-year, $26 million contract. He had, after all, won the three-point shootout at All-Star Weekend, so he had to be worth that dough. Two sub-par seasons later, Kapono is on his way to Philadelphia in return for another specialist, this one a rebounder. The Raptors picked up the Sixers’ Reggie Evans, he of the grabbing Chris Kaman’s nutsack incident, for Kapono in a deal that hopefully adds some much-needed toughness to Toronto’s frontline.

Not to badmouth Kapono — he came in and did what was asked of him — but he didn’t really do anything to make the team better. His outside shot was as advertised (though he could’ve helped by taking more threes instead of 20-footers), but anything he added offensively was negated on the defensive end. In two seasons in Toronto, Kapono averaged 7.7 points and won one three-point shootout, though it didn’t translate to anything that counted for his team.

In Evans, the Raptors get a veteran big man the does little more than rebound and grab loose balls (in every sense), which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. In seven seasons with the Sonics, Nuggets and Sixers, Evans has averaged 6.9 boards in just 19.6 minutes per game.

Responses

[…] That’s What I’m Saying Guy Not to badmouth Kapono — he came in and did what was asked of him — but he didn’t really do anything to make the team better. His outside shot was as advertised (though he could’ve helped by taking more threes instead of 20-footers), but anything he added offensively was negated on the defensive end. In two seasons in Toronto, Kapono averaged 7.7 points and won one three-point shootout, though it didn’t translate to anything that counted for his team. […]

I don’t know about Kapono coming in and doing what was asked of him… he may have tried to do what was asked of him or did it during last years play off run but the rest of the time Kapono was almost unnoticed on the floor…

By: astro on June 10, 2009 at 9:00 am

Yeah, Kapono was quiet. I meant we got what we could’ve expected from a player that shoots threes and doesn’t play defense, and it wasn’t a lot. With talk of bringing Delfino back, there’d be even less of a role for him next season…

[…] Raptors bring in big man that loves grabbing loose balls « That’s what I’m saying,… Not to badmouth Kapono — he came in and did what was asked of him — but he didn’t really do anything to make the team better. His outside shot was as advertised (though he could’ve helped by taking more threes instead of 20-footers), but anything he added offensively was negated on the defensive end. In two seasons in Toronto, Kapono averaged 7.7 points and won one three-point shootout, though it didn’t translate to anything that counted for his team. […]

[…] Raptors bring in big man that loves grabbing loose balls « That’s what I’m saying,… – Not to badmouth Kapono — he came in and did what was asked of him — but he didn’t really do anything to make the team better. His outside shot was as advertised (though he could’ve helped by taking more threes instead of 20-footers), but anything he added offensively was negated on the defensive end. In two seasons in Toronto, Kapono averaged 7.7 points and won one three-point shootout, though it didn’t translate to anything that counted for his team. […]